About Those July 4 Fireworks and Climate Change
The American practice of setting off fireworks on July 4 stretches back to the first Independence Day celebration in Philadelphia in 1777. Today, it’s a beloved tradition that almost seems impossible to replace.
But with concerns over air quality, wildfires and supply chains, some cities are doing just that.
This year Salt Lake City is replacing its fireworks with synchronized dancing drone displays to avoid worsening air quality and setting off more wildfires. Boulder, Colo., is switching to drones, too, and Minneapolis is opting for lasers, simply because those technologies have been easier to source than fireworks in recent years.
And as wildfire smoke from Canada again blanketed much of the United States last week, New York City officials debated whether to set off fireworks on the 4th but, as of Monday night, had not called them off.
Source: The New York Times
